Today I went to support the locked out staff at Auckland’s 4.5 star hotel, the Rendezvous – that’s the staff who keep the hotel clean and help provide an enjoyable stay for hotel guests. This trans-national hotel chain is offering a measly pay increase of 1.5% from now (no backdating) for two years until 2012.
The last pay increase was in January 2008 so the workers have already been 18 months without a pay increase. And there’s a catch. The employer wants the workers to give back one day’s sick-leave, to increase the costs of staff parking and remove a subsidy for health insurance. The Rendezvous says this is the final offer and the workers have been locked out from their jobs until they accept it.
Look at these workers. Are they militants? Are they highly paid? I don’t think so. One housekeeper told me that she is expected to clean 18 rooms a day – an increase in 4 rooms since the Rendezvous took over the former Carlton Hotel. Isn’t this a productivity increase? Isn’t this supposed to deliver better wages?
This is a disgraceful overreaction from a hotel that will be looking to cash in big time come the Rugby World Cup.
Sadly, sucky employers make unions a necessity.
Well motivated and well managed staff can help companies develop major productivity initiatives and win new business…is that really hard to understand? Some corporate management attitudes are like 40 years out of date.
Isn’t the Rendezvous where Len Brown likes the stay on the ratepayers Credit Card?
Isn’t the 7-Eleven where Len Brown likes to buy his sandwiches on the ratepayers Credit Card?
Give up a sick day bleep me!
No wonder they are picketing! 
Here’s an update on ‘improved’ labour rights in China, just to remind people how rough it can get if workers do not have protections and representation.
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/06/21/world/asia/21chinalabor.html?ref=world
A few years ago there would have been support from other unions. Just reading of how effective the boycotting was in the 19th Century Ireland. Solidarity in the Auckland case would make a difference.
Has to be a bad look for the hotel when guests see this…
This must be the last thing they’d want… What are they saying their books are like..? Did the hotel make a profit this year..?
Carrying those `Pay Us What We Are Worth’ signs is a bit risky isn’t it?
Some of them look like they are worth a 50% cut in pay.
They could draw inspiration from the Synovate dispute.
Good on you Darien – I very much the company owners have forfeited their profits over the last 18 months!
You also have to wonder whether there is some kind of monopoly on hotels etc as I was on $14 an hour 11 years ago when working part-time as a cleaner at a local motel whilst doing my degree.
@Rebecca, Jeez, 11 years ago i was on $10.75 in a trade that produces large profits. Some regions in this country pay there employees low wages as well, due to location or perceveid cost of living. & years ago i was doing a 50 – 60 hour a week job for $24,000 per year.
In a skilled!
@Pdm – enjoy the filth that you’ll experience when the world finally runs out of cleaners
pdm said:
You’re such a darling thing.
Major chain or privately owned?
Corporate management/head office is usually quite happy to tell distant branches to squeeze their staff down. They don’t have to work with them every day after all.
waterboy – you were doing the wrong job! I also got paid $10 per hour from 1995-1997 then $11 per hour as a waitress/bartender in 1998. My first real job after uni (where my degree didn’t matter!) was $13.50 per hour…nothing to do with luck, I just made sure I went for a job that could pay my bills!
pdm – they look reasonably well dressed, no need to be so rude!
Not sure how you got $10 per hour back in 95, back then I was on $8.00 an hour as a Jeweller,
But ive never been part of a union, also ive never classed myself as being shafted by any employer.
I think I now understand why you and I have so differeing views on politics.
I agree on your call on luck, but location probably had a lot to do with it.
I saw the “Pay us what we are worth” sign and my second thought was …… wouldn’t it be nice if that applied to politicians.